Electric-lamp socket.



W. G. CLARK.

ELECTRIC LAMP SOCKET.

APPLICATION FILED JUNB27, 1910.

, 1,018,480. Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

llll

' '11 I ltlllll INEIOR AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA c.

WALTER G. CLARK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC-LAMP SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

Application filed June 27, 1910. Serial N0. 569,147.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER G. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-LampSockets, of which the following is a specification, accompanied bydrawings.

This invention relates to electric lamp sockets for incandescent lamps,and the objects of the invention are to improve upon the constructionand operation of such sockets and enable the current to be readilyswitched on and off at the socket, even if the lamp is inconvenientlylocated, in such position that the ordinary key or chain would beinaccessible or reached with difficulty.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear and theinvention consists of a lamp socket substantially as hereinafterdescribed and claimed in this specification and shown in its preferredform in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation partly broken away of a lamp socket embodying the invention;Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top planview of the device shown in Fig. 1, but rotated on its longitudinal axisninety degrees counter clockwise; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectionalview, partly in elevation on the line 4-4 of Fig. 8, looking in thedirection of the arrows; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a modification ofthe device in a position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 3 and Fig.6 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation onthe line 66 ofFig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, the insulating block for the socket comprisesthe base memher A, and the cap member B provided with the cap G for thelamp bulb D. The members A and B are relatively movable, in thisinstance being relatively revoluble about their longitudinal axis. Asshown, the pivot bolt E which is preferably hollow and provided withslotted sides F passes through the members A and B. One member, as thecap member B, is loose on said pivot bolt E, while the base member A inthis instance is suitably secured to said bolt as by means of the nut G.Beneath the head H of the bolt lying inside of the cap C may be placedthe washer J. The slotted end K of the bolt as shown is thrust throughapertures at each side of the cross bar L at the inner end of theconducting strip 0 which carries the binding screw P in the base memberA, and

the nut G is screwed down upon said strip 0 over the end K of the bolt,so that the base member A in this instance turns with the bolt. I

The insulating members A and B are normally locked from rotation andmeans are provided controlled by the lamp bulb for automaticallyunlocking said members when a lamp is secured in the cap C. As shown,the cap member B is centrally recessed at Q, into which may be set alocking plate R in the form of an annular disk provided with transversenotches or depressions S set into the cap member B. The metallic disk Ris preferably provided to form a bearing plate although it could beomitted and locking recesses formed in the material of the cap member B.A locking pin T is shown within the end of the hollow bolt E andprojecting slightly beyond the head H of the bolt within the cap 0. Thislocking pin is slidable longitudinally within the boltE and is providedwith the transverse lugs U projecting through the slots F in the sidesof the bolt. These lugs U are normally pressed into the recesses S inthe locking disk R by the compression spring V which is shown in thisinstance coiled within the bolt E between the end of the pin T and thebar L of the strip 0. It is obvious that the spring V may be located inany suitable position, as for instance, around the bolt E. A washer W ispreferably placed around the bolt E over the locking plate R outside ofthe ends of the lugs U, so that these lugs may move longitudinallywithin the washer W.

One of the insulating block members may be provided with an annularbearing shoulder, while the other is pro-vided with an annular recesswhich cooperates with the shoulder to center the said members. In thisinstance the cap member B is provided with the shoulder X while the basemember A is provided with the recess Y into which the shoulder Xprojects. The base member A is also centrally recessed at Z toaccommodate the movement of the lugs U of the locking pin T.

The base and cap members A and B are provided with cooperating switchcontacts for opening and closing the circuit through the socket. Onemember, as the cap member B, is in this instance provided with a seriesof sloping teeth a, located around the shoulder or projection X and in aplane transverse to the longitudinal aXis of said cap member. Theseteeth or corrugations are formed in the cap member and the longitudinalfaces I) of the teeth form backstops for the contact tongue 0 secured tothe base member A, so that said contact tongue 0 may pass over thesurfaces of the teeth a in one direction only. In this instance fourteeth a are shown, but there may be as many as desired. Alternate teetha are provided with conducting surfaces-in the form of metallic plates(l suitably secured upon the teeth as by means of the screws 6 whichsecure the cap C to the cap member B. Preferably the shoulder orprojection X is longitudinally recessed at f to receive projectingportions 9 of the plates (Z and aids in centering and maintaining theplates cl in position. The contact tongue a forming one switch member isin this instance secured to the face of the base member A as by means ofthe screw it which also secures the contact strip or bracket to themember A. Said bracket is provided with the binding screw 73.

If desired, the teeth or corrugations may be formed upon the exteriorsurface of the cap member as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 instead of upon theface of said member. In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 theteeth 0 are located around the shoulder X upon the cap member B and thecurvilinear faces 7) of the teeth lie in longitudinal planes. Alternateteeth are provided with the curved conducting plates Q having ears 1"through which pass the screws 0. The contact tongue t is in thisinstance secured to the side of the base member A, as by means of thebent tab or projection 10 through which passes the bracket screw it.

' The remainder of the construction of the modification shown in Figs. 5and 6 is in this instance similar to that shown in the remainingfigures.

It will be seen that in both the constructions shown the recesses S andthe locking plate R lie transversely between the conducting plates (Z onthe teeth a, while the contact tongue 0 or t is so located upon the basemember A that when the base and cap members are locked together with thelugs U of the locking pin T in the recesses S, said tongue C lies uponone of the insulating teeth a, so that contact is broken through theblock. Any suitable arrangement and location of the parts may be devisedwhich will bring about this operation. When the lamp bulb D is insertedin the cap C, the inner end to of the bulb will bear against the lockingpin T and push said locking pin inwardly carrying the lugs U out of therecesses S, thereby unlocking the members A and B, so that one membermay be turned relatively to the other to bring the contact tongue 0 uponone of the conducting plates (Z, thus closing the circuit through thesocket.

In assembling the parts, the pivot bolt E is first inserted through thecap member B with the locking plate R in position in said cap memberaround the bolt. The locking pin T is then inserted in the bolt with thelugs U in the slots F of the bolt. The washer V is placed over the boltand the spring V is placed in the bolt. The base member A is then placedover the bolt and the slotted end K of the bolt inserted through theapertures at each side of the cross bar L in the strip 0. The nut G isscrewed on to the end of the bolt F and the spring V forces the lugs Uinto the locking recesses S, so that the members A and B are lockedtogether with the contact tongue 0 on one of the insulating teeth a. Thecap member B and cap C are thus held from movement as the lamp bulb isinserted in the cap C. After the locking pin T is released by theinsertion of the bulb, the circuit is completed by continuing to turnthe cap member B. The cap member'B may be turned by grasping the lampbulb and by this means the socket may be readily manipulated, althoughthe socket itself may be inaccessible, since the lamp bulb may readilybe grasped. The locking lugs U of the locking pin T bear upon the highpor tion of the plate R until the contact tongue 0 leaves the contactplate (Z in which case the lugs U snap back into the recesses S. Theback stops Z) on the teeth a prevent thecap member from being turnedbackward, so that the circuit is made and broken by turning the capmember always in the same direction. I

I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent the following:

1. An electric lamp socket comprising relatively movable insulating basemembers provided with cooperating switch contacts and normally lockedwith the switch contacts open, and means for automatically unlockingsaid base members when the lamp bulb is inserted in the socket.

. 2. An electric lamp socket comprising relatively revoluble insulatingbase members provided with cooperating switch contacts and normallylocked from rotation with the switch contacts open, and means forautomatically unlocking said base members when the lamp bulb is insertedin the socket.

3. An electric lampv socket comprising relatively movable insulatingbase members provided with cooperating switch contacts and normallylocked with the switch contacts open, one member having a cap for thereception of a lamp, and means controlled by the lamp bulb forautomatically unlocking said base members when a lamp is secured in thecap, to permit one member to be moved relatively to the other and makecontact at the switch contacts.

4. An electric lamp socket comprising relatively revoluble insulatingbase members provided with cooperating switch contacts and normallylocked from rotation, with the switch contacts open, one member having acap for the reception of a lamp, and means controlled by the insertionof the lamp in the cap for unlocking the base members and permitting onemember to be rotated relatively to the other to make contact at theswitch contacts. u

5. An electric lamp socket comprising centrally pivoted relativelyrevoluble base members, one member having a peripheral series of slopingteeth formed with back stops, alternate teeth having contact surfaces,and the other member having a contact tongue adapted to cooperate withsaid teeth, means for locking said members together, and means forautomatically unlocking said base members when the lamp bulb is insertedin the socket.

6. An electric lamp socket comprising centrally pivoted relativelyrevoluble base members, one member having a peripheral series of slopingteeth formed with back stops, alternate teeth having contact surfaces,and the other member having a contact tongue adapted to cooperate withsaid teeth, a cap secured to one member, and a longitudinally movablespring pressed locking pin projecting into said cap and adapted to bemoved longitudinally by the insertion of the lamp bulb in the cap tounlock said base members.

7. An electric lamp socket comprising an insulating block dividedtransversely into a base member and a relatively revoluble cap member,one member having a circular row of teeth provided with back stops,alternate teeth having conducting surfaces, the other member having ametallic tongue adapted to engage said teeth, a cap secured to said capmember, a longitudinal pivotbolt passing loosely through one of saidblock members and secured to the other member, and a longitudinallymovable spring pressed locking pin normally pr0jecting within the cap,and adapted to be moved longitudinally by the lamp bulb when secured inthe cap.

8. An electric lamp socket comprising relatively revoluble insulatingbase and cap members provided with cooperating switch contacts, a capsecured to said cap member, a longitudinal pivot bolt passing looselythrough one member and secured to the other member, and a longitudinallymovable spring pressed locking pin normally projecting within the capand adapted to be moved longitudinally of the lamp bulb when secured inthe cap.

9. An electric lamp socket comprising relatively revoluble insulatingbase and cap members provided with cooperating switch contacts, a capsecured to said cap member, a hollow slotted longitudinal pivot boltpassing loosely through one member and se cured to the other member, anda spring pressed pin slidable longitudinally in said hollow bolt andnormally projecting within the cap, said pin having transverse lugsprojecting through the slots in the pivot bolt, and normally engagingthat base member which is loose on the pivot bolt, whereby insertion ofthe lamp in the cap presses the locking pin inwardly and unlocks thebase and cap members.

10. An electric lamp socket comprising relatively movable insulatingbase members, provided with cooperating switch contacts normally lockedagainst movement and means for automatically unlocking said base memberswhen the lamp bulb is inserted in the socket, thereby permitting theswitch contacts to be operated by the rotation of the lamp bulb when thebulb is rotated in one direction, and a stop for preventing rotation inthe opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WVALTER G. CLARK.

Witnesses:

K. G. -LE Ann, HERBERT Gr. GGDEN.

'Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O.

